stokebynightfandomcom-20200216-history
July 2002
Bureaucracy, Legal, Media, Police, Politics, Transport Once again the actions of Castelan are in question after their joint operation with a government agency left dozens dead or injured, and millions of pounds in property damage. Castelan have stated that their action to apprehend two known fugitives was fully justified given their dangerous nature, but some councillors have questioned this statement, asking whether it was wise to deploy military scale hardware in an urban environment. Meanwhile, work continues to rebuild parts of the M6 Motorway which sustained the majority of the damage when a helicopter gunship used in the operation malfunctioned and detonated on the carriageway. The motorway remains open for limited use only, with long tailbacks a common sight, leading to financial claims against both Castelan and the government. Castelan have been in a similar position before, but it seems likely that the political ramifications of this event will be far more profound than in previous cases. High Society, Media, Police, Politics Amongst the victims of last months Castelan Operation were Lauren Boucier and his "paramour", the mysterious Lady Blaize. Both were killed when an untargeted rocket from one of the escorting gunship destroyed the vehicle they were travelling in. So far the authorities have refused to comment on the matter, but the involvement of two house-hold names in the event is sure to keep the incident high profile, much to the consternation of all involved. Meanwhile, plans are being prepared to celebrate the lives of the victims, but the proposal is being blocked by Castelan who wish to draw a discreet veil over the proceedings. Bureaucracy, Finance, Industry, Legal, Media, Police, Politics The question of how Castelan operations are funded has once again been drawn into question following recent events. Castelan have previously offered complete "security services" for the city at cost to the taxpayer. However, the involvement of an outside government agency places questions the issue of completeness. Many who have previously fought against the role of Castelan in the city have attempted to use the event as a means of limiting Castelan’s powers to become more in line with other law enforcement agencies. Of interest is that although this isn't the first time legal action has been threatened against the group, it is the first time that it has had an affect upon the company’s share prices. Shares dropped sharply across the city, has the company attempted to stabilise itself in the face of negative publicity. Finance, Street, Underworld If you wish to make any move amongst the city’s underbelly, now is the time to do so. A number of high profile Castelan agents have been placed on indefinite leave following the events of last month. Indeed, the investigation into Castelan’s involvement in the affair has severely curtailed their operations within the city, as investors in the parent company attempt to minimise the damage to the share price. Indeed, the events of late have made it far easier for everyone to operate how and where they feel necessary. Rumour has it that Castelan are so keen to avoid further damage to their profile that they have quashed any plans they might have had to release the identity of Sandernacht, for fear that it will further damage their reputation. Church, Finance, Industry, Media, Politics Local churches have received a large cash donation as the GAOM group attempts to improve it public façade in the face of increasingly hostile media coverage. Many have viewed the donation as a cynical ploy, especially as the money has been limited to predominantly white congregations, furthering accusations that the company is increasingly racist. Indeed, GAOM seem to operate on one of the most rigidly hierarchical systems imaginable for such a large company, one that has little place in modern business. Given this fact, some have speculated that the donation will be of little consequence, as it is more than likely that the money will be ploughed back into GAOM through one back hand deal or another. Occult, University During Castelan’s operation last month, the overall “psychic background” readings for the city doubled over the duration of the operation and a twenty-four hour period following. The psychic background reading is a figure used to measure the level of “anxiety driven stress” amongst the city’s population, and is recorded at the university. The reading has been fairly low of late, certainly below the city’s average. Critics of the scheme are keen to point out that the figures are meaningless, as stress levels measured by the city’s hospitals are not subject to any type of external increase, but merely cyclical, peaking during the first weekend of each month. Many have attempted to discover whether there is a pattern behind this, but as it corresponds with no known cosmic patterns it seems likely that the results are merely a coincidence. High Society, Occult, Street, University Are you a member of the Crimson Jihad (sic)? The group seems to be developing quite a name for itself, with tales of bloodletting, sexual escapades and more making them the next big thing amongst the in-crowd. Unusually, the group if it exists, seems to be driven primarily by the city’s students, although they may merely being used as an escape group should evidence any illegal activities be found. The group is drawing a fair amount of publicity, all of which seems to be originating from the city’s universities who are doing little to dispel the myth that they are playing host to some kind of blood-drinking occult group, hell-bent on the Earth’s destruction. Tuh! Kids today hey, in my day we had to make our own fun. Bureaucracy, Finance, Industry, High Society, Media, Transport The first stage of the monorail to link the city has been opened and is proving to be a great success. So far the monorail is limited to linking the six towers at the heart of the Phoenix Project, but given its apparent success, it seems more than likely that the scheme will be extended further. Meanwhile, local industries are investigating the possibility of opening up the system to limited light freight movements to reduce the number of road vehicles entering the city. It seems likely however, that the suggestion will meet with a number of objections from local resident groups and transport companies, who have already recovering from recent problems. Finance, Legal, Media, Police, Politics, Street The clean up operation continues in Newcastle, as government officials deliver on the promised funds to small businesses in an effort to try and entice them back into the area. Meanwhile, local councillors have ratified an action preventing Castelan from entering the town centre, except in emergency situations, without the express permission of a panel of three Town Elders. The move met with little opposition from Castelan, who were to busy attempting to minimise the impact of their recent actions upon the local economy. Whether any other towns within the city will attempt to have similar actions passed remains to be seen, but given the seemingly damaged position that both Castelan and GAOM have found themselves in, the threat of further action must look increasingly real to the worried investors.